Chairman Ryan Welcomes Chairman Conrad’s Reversal on Budgeting

Senate Budget Committee decides to consider a budget resolution – 1,085 days since the Senate last passed a budget

Washington –Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad reversed course yesterday on his insistence that the federal government didn’t need a budget resolution despite four straight trillion-dollar deficits and a looming fiscal crisis on the horizon. The announcement of a budget resolution markup in the Senate Budget Committee comes after the Democrat-controlled Senate already missed the statutory deadline (April 15) for consideration of a budget. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan welcomed Conrad’s announcement, issuing the following statement:

“It is encouraging to see Senator Conrad recognize the need for Congress to budget and prioritize Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars. Proposing a budget is an obvious first step for those seeking to engage in an honest debate on our nation’s fiscal future. I hope Senator Conrad’s budget grasps the gravity of our fiscal challenges, instead of following the President’s lead of simply taking more from hardworking Americans to fuel structurally broken programs run by the federal government. I hope Senator Conrad can build consensus among his colleagues to advance a credible budget, as we have done in the House. I hope Senator Conrad can convince Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to also change his mind on whether or not the federal government needs a budget.

“It is a grave disappointment that the U.S. Senate has refused to pass a budget for three consecutive years. With a debt crisis looming on the horizon, it is unconscionable that we lack willing partners at the White House or with the Senate Democratic Leadership to advance structural reforms required to get America back on track. By refusing to engage in an honest budget debate, the President and his party’s leaders continue to put the next election above the next generation. With the right leadership in place, I remain hopeful that reformers can work together to meet our generation’s defining challenge of ensuring greater opportunities for generations to come.”